


The Stars Shine Again

by Chimeranyx



Series: Demon King Escargoon AU [6]
Category: Hoshi no Kaabii | Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Kirby (Video Games)
Genre: (it doesn't happen to a pov character), (they're not humans but the idea is the same), F/F, Ficlet Collection, Game characters somewhat differ in their characterization, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Torture, Joe's Dad is named Jecra here, M/M, Other, Past Relationship(s), Pining, Psychological Torture, Sentient Galaxia, at least i think chapter 4's got a lot of pining, childish!marx, crack pairing time let's GOOOOOOOOOOOO, galaxia is a sword not a therapist, garlude is alive (but not well), i guess, implied yamikage/jecra, kit is not responsible and gives children alcohol, mentions of Arranged Marriage, meta acts as a dad towards his men, metagarlude and metajecra specifically, nightmare is a master of romance (heavy sarcasm), susie has been radicalized, susie uses her middle name instead of her first one, trans!jecra, zan questions her faith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:27:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chimeranyx/pseuds/Chimeranyx
Summary: Across the galaxy, the embers of the flame Nightmare tried to extinguish still glow. Perhaps they'll grow out of his control again.(Short collection of interconnected vignettes about the anime!verse, set in the demon king Escargoon au)
Relationships: Meta Knight/Escargoon, Zan Partizanne/Ripple Star Queen
Series: Demon King Escargoon AU [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1792612
Kudos: 12





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> hi there. i'm trying something new.
> 
> each chapter, i'll write who each one is about and the basic idea of the chapter. If you're not caught up on the premise of Demon King Escargoon!AU, it's where Escargoon stays as Maimaigoon and usurps Dedede's throne.
> 
> This chapter is about Knuckle Joe and Sirica visiting his childhood home, and they learn some things about his father.

Joe breathed in the warm air, noting the nostalgic scent of his grandma's cooking. It was good to be home, even for a little bit. He turned and beamed at his recently-made friend. "C'mon, Sirica! Come meet my grandparents!"

Sirica beamed right back and took his hand, and Joe would be lying if that didn't make his heart skip a beat. "Lead the way, then!"

Joe knew his grandparents would be delighted to see him with someone close to his age - last time he'd been here, he'd brought home four fully-armored knights who were decades older than them, and while his grandpa was happy to see them, his grandma had tutted over his companions being decades older than him. Now, Joe pushed open the screen door. "Yo! Grandma, Grandpa, I'm back!"

Sirica's eyebrows quirked up as the clatter of pans emerged from the kitchen, heralding his grandma's arrival. "Joey!" The old woman wrapped her arms around both the teens and gave a squeeze that would make a boa constrictor jealous. A bunch of questions spilled from her lips, and Joe couldn't keep up as she ushered them to the dining room. Eventually, though, his grandpa managed to pry her away. Even though he'd long since retired, his grandpa still carried the strength of a professional kickboxer. 

Sirica smoothed her shirt out and grinned. "It's nice to meet you both. I'm Sirica - Sir Arthur introduced me and Joe to each other."

"Oh! So you're the young lady Joey wrote about." Grandma said with a smile. "You're much more charming in person than on paper."

Joe found himself blushing. "Aww, come on, Grandma…"

Grandma merely smiled blissfully at the two. "I've just finished some tom yum if you two are hungry!"

"Uh, maybe not right now-" Sirica was interrupted by a bowl of shrimp soup being thrust into her hands. She glanced over at Joe, who shrugged and lifted a spoon to his mouth.

Sirica rolled her eyes at him, then took a tentative sip. Immediately, tears welled up in her eyes and her face turned bright red. "H-hot!" she spluttered.

Joe laughed - and shot the spicy broth out of his nose for his trouble. "Gaaaah!"

Grandpa returned to see two coughing and crying teenagers and guffawed. "Looks like you forgot how spicy your grandma's cooking was, Joe!" He set a ratty old photo album on the table. "Anyway, I found these old pictures from your dad's days in the GSA. I think you ought to check it out."

"Mmh?" Joe wiped his face off and reached for the album as Grandpa left to watch baseball. Inside, he found old, grainy photos, from which his father beamed up at him. Joe found himself smiling back as Sirica shuffled up next to him. Together, the two giggled over how silly the Star Warriors could get while off duty. Apparently, his dad was great at lifting everyone's spirits!

One particular photo caught his eye - there was his father, cuddling with some strange guy. Meta Knight was there too, eyeing the pair. A bright orange date in the corner told him this was about a year before his birthday.

"Huh. Wonder who that is." Sirica pointed at the stranger. 

Joe squinted at him - brown hair, a piercing gaze, dark clothing. "Maybe he was in the Ninja division?" He glanced over the page and found his father's handwriting.  _ Me, Yami and Meta. _

Sirica flipped the page and gasped. "Joe, look!" His father was now at home, wearing a loose shirt, a hand splayed over his abdomen. Meta Knight was nearly, sipping a glass of iced tea through a straw. 

Joe prodded the skin beneath his nose as he looked all the pictures over. His father's belly growing - made sense, his grandparents told him his father had come home pregnant. But they hadn't told him about Meta Knight coming with him. "Uh. Maybe he stayed with my dad for emotional support?" 

Sirica shook her head and pointed at a picture where Meta Knight was hugging and nuzzling against his father. "That's, uh. Some hands-on support there."

Joe turned the pages, and found a picture of himself as a newborn, napping next to a stranger. Meta Knight's mask and sword laid on the nearby bedside table. Beneath the picture, his father had written something about his two favorite boys napping together, followed with a goofy smiley face.

"Sirica," Joe rasped. "Do. Do you think Meta Knight might  _ also _ be my dad?"


	2. Rats, Rats, we're the Rats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features Daroach, Magolor, and Susie, but Susie doesn't go by her first name anymore. In it, Daroach is contacted by someone he hasn't seen in a while.

Another day, another burglary.

Daroach returned to the Squeak Squad safehouse, humming as he headed to one of the many treasure piles laying around. The glitter of his ill-gotten gains always brought a smile to his face, and he laughed as Spinni ran past him and nose-dived into the pile. 

Someone cleared their throat behind him. "Uuuh, Daroach, sir?" 

Daroach turned to see one of the few non-murine members of the Squad - Magolor. His six foot, heavyset frame stood out, as did his ears - pointy and catlike compared to Daroach's dish-shaped ones. His orangey-red hair poked out of his hood and into his eyes. 

This kid had shown up years ago, with an ancient spaceship and a truly impressive haul - an entire person he'd stolen from Nightmare. Through heavy breaths, he'd spun some yarn about how he was the last of his clan, and that he'd been asked by some ancient dragon to help defend the galaxy. He'd picked up the girl from a Nightmare Enterprises prison he'd broken out of. He still had a bit of a nervous streak, though - and Daroach couldn't blame him. They did some nasty shit to you in those prisons. Storo had gone mute after his stint in one.

Now, Magolor was fidgeting as he approached Daroach. "Yeah Mags? What's up?" he asked.

"The Starcutter got a message from someone." Magolor's ears twitched. "Someone named Meta Knight."

"Meta Knight? Holy shit, it's been ages!" He clapped Magolor on the shoulder. "Show me!"

"Oh! Uh, okay." Magolor led Daroach to the hangar, and onto the brilliant blue sailing ship. Within the robin's egg of the bridge, a dark black blot stood out. 

Patrya. The other non-murine member. Four foot something and wearing all black, she'd been radicalized by being used to torment her father - at the age of thirteen, no less. She was constantly cutting and dying her hair to hide her identity - right now, it was a short, pitch-black mohawk with neon green streaks.

Patrya turned and smiled, and the light glinted off of her lip piercings. "This Meta Knight guy seems really cool!"

"Patty, you haven't been flirting with him, have you?" Daroach pushed her aside. "If you have, stop. Last I checked he's celibate."

"Oh, you met him? What's he like - owww!" Patrya glared at Magolor, who'd elbowed her in the ribs. 

"Short. Wielded a sword. Never took his mask off. I didn't see him too often." Daroach read over the message. "Mmh… he's saying he might make a move to get rid of Nightmare for good."

"Wh- really?" Magolor tilted his head and squinted. "... Is he like, okay? Like, mentally."

Daroach ignored that. "Oh, looks like he actually used those blueprints I snuck down to him." He glanced at the two kids. "You couldn't trust the internet in the few days after the GSA's defeat, so I gave it to him in person." He didn't bring up the fact that he'd fooled around a bit with one of Meta Knight's new co-workers. He wondered if that guy was still around.  


Patrya gasped and clapped, her fishnet gloves muffling the sound. "You met him in _person?_ "

"Patty…" Daroach rubbed his forehead. "Listen. Meta Knight's asking for potential assistance." He smirked. "How do you guys feel about stealing a few Destrayers?"

Magolor's shy, slouchy demeanor melted away, and he swiped his red hair out of his eyes. "Tell me more."

"Of course. Patty, get Sir Lance on the line."


	3. A Question of Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zan Partizanne and the Fairy Queen are in this one, but things are a bit different. Zan gets a call back to the battlefield.

Zan Partisanne was having an… Interesting day to say the least.

Once upon a time, she'd been known as the Lightning General, leader of the Jambastian religion. Her job was to take care of her flock and to prevent her Dark Lord's power from falling into Nightmare's hands. 

Right now, though, her job was to get her sister another box of tissues. 

Flamberge was quite literally burning through them. "She… she said she didn't want a girl who was decades older than her!" she choked out as she accepted the tissues. "Like, I'm  _ sorry _ I was imbued with immortality by some… void deity!"

Zan briefly considered chiding Flamberge for taking Void Termina's gift in vain, but decided against it - it had just cost her a girlfriend, after all. Instead, she patted Francisca on the shoulder and nodded briefly. It was around  _ that _ time of the day, and she had a duty to perform, a princess to help.  Zan summoned up a bit of magic and stepped out of the window. Every little hair on her arms pricked up as she soared off to the Crystal Shrine, off to see Princess Ripple. She didn't mind - she liked assisting the princess. It helped that Zan had a bit of a crush on Ripple, one she suspected was mutual. Still, she acted professional in her duty, playing the role of a handmaiden perfectly.

As she flew, a few fairies greeted her, as did a few followers of Void Termina. Sometimes, even, the two categories were combined. Zan couldn't help but feel a bit guilty - she had brought Jambastion here to hide the last handful of faithful, but now she had a growing cult that worshipped a lost god. "Someday, our Dark Lord will return," she'd always tell her followers, always wondering if it was a lie.

She wondered if she was hoping it was.

On that thought she stewed as she set foot at the steps of the Crystal Shrine. She entered to see Princess Ripple readying herself for the ceremony. Her eyes lit up as she saw Zan walk in, and Zan's mood lightened up too. "Oh! Zan, thank goodness you made it, or else I would have…" she bit her lip, her purple eyes dropping to the needle in her hand. "Uhm. Let's go."

"Of course, Princess." Zan followed the princess to the queen's chamber.

If Zan didn't know any better, she'd think the fairy queen was laying in repose. The queen's chamber looked like a tomb crossed with a temple, with Queen Ana herself laying in a bed of flowers, her lips just barely open. Ripple handed the needle to Zan. "Just get it over with," she said like she always did.

"Apologies, Princess." Zan grabbed Ripple's hand, like she always did, and jabbed the needle into her thumb. Ripple squeaked and squeezed her eyes shut as Zan squeezed three crimson drops of blood into the queen's parted lips. Ripple usually bolted from the room as soon as she could, and she did so now - she hated the scent of blood that hung here, hated this ceremony. Zan, however, chose to linger a bit today. She hoped Queen Ana wouldn't mind.

_ Ana _ . The fairies said she was the only person Nightmare ever truly loved, and Zan couldn't blame him. Even after centuries of slumber, Queen Ana was the kind of beauty a person would doom themselves for - copper-colored locks framed a dusky tan face and blood-red lips. No kiss, however, would wake her from her magical slumber - Ana would remain asleep until the very moment she died.

Zan sighed as she brushed a bit of hair out of her face. Ana had been given a horrible choice centuries ago - the life of her people or her hand in marriage. She'd accepted the horrid proposal and became Nightmare's bride. To his credit, Nightmare had been a decent husband. He'd never laid a finger on her and provided her with any desire she wished for. However, all Ana wanted was to return to her people - and so, reluctantly, Nightmare came to accept that his wife was better off without him. Nightmare had allowed Ana to return to her people, and promised no harm would come to her people as long as she lived. To prolong her life, Ana put herself into an eternal slumber, living only off three drops of the current ruler of Ripple Star's blood each day.

The current Princess Ripple knew this ritual was important. She hated it anyway.

"Zan? Are you still in here?" Ripple shouted. "Someone's here to visit you."

Zan jolted up. " _ Me _ ?"

"Well, uh… you and your sisters." Ripple toyed with one of her braids. "It's Sir Galahad."

"Sir Galahad? It's been a while." Zan felt a bit of dread boiling in her gut - she hoped he brought good news. "What does he want?"

"He says Sir Meta Knight may be ready to move on Nightmare." Ripple sucked in her breath. "... I hope that's true. Maybe this era can finally end."

"Mmh." Zan thought about Meta Knight - and boy, her feelings were complex. For one thing, he'd nearly killed her father in front of her. On the other hand, he'd been branded painfully for refusing to go through with it. And yet, on another hand there was that vulnerable moment after the final battle… one that would make things awkward. "I suppose he's going to ask if I'd like to join him."

"... Will you?" Ripple reached for Zan's hands and clasped them tight. "I… Zan. I  _ really _ don't want you to go."

Zan knew something like this was coming. "I know, Ripple, I know." Oh, no, there were tears… She reached up and wiped those away. "Don't cry, Princess. I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon."

Ripple sniffed and smiled. "Zan… can I try something?" 

Zan nodded. "Of course." 

"Can I kiss you?"

Zan slipped down her mask. "Of course, Princess."

Ripple's lips met hers, and Zan couldn't help but grin - she'd been secretly hoping for this. Ripple's lips were softer than she'd ever imagined, and Zan pulled the princess closer before drawing away. "Flamberge is going to be so mad at me, you know."

Ripple nuzzled against Zan's forehead. "Why's that?"

"She got rejected today." Zan pecked Ripple on the lips. "And here I am, kissing a princess."

Ripple's face turned bright red. "Oh! Well, um… We don't have to tell everyone right away… I think it might be better if we don't."

"It's fine, Ripple." Zan kissed Ripple's cheek. "We've got more than enough time."

Someone cleared their throat, and Zan jolted. "S-sir Galahad!" she squeaked at the newcomer, before quickly recomposing herself. "I apologize for the wait, Sir. That was unprofessional of me."

"It's fine, honest!" Galahad chuckled. "I guess you won't be assisting us, but… how do you feel about maybe… acquiring some assets?"

Zan squinted at him as she shifted her mask back up. "You mean stealing from NME, don't you?"

"Flamberge already said yes."

Zan groaned. "Of  _ course _ she did." 


	4. Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meta Knight has a brief chat and comes to terms with some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you haven't been following this series, escargoon's a 12-foot tall demon beast now. that's all.

Meta Knight sat in silence. The communication screen in front of him was black - as it had been for a while since the conference call ended. He felt guilty - it felt like everyone else in the universe was doing something against Nightmare right now - except for him. _My time will come later,_ he reminded himself. _I just need to wait._  


"Sir?" He jolted a bit, and turned to see Sword staring at him, concerned.

"Everything alright, sir?" Blade asked. "It's been about, uh…" He glanced over at Sword.

"Ten minutes, on the dot." Sword tilted his head. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Of course. I was just… thinking. That is all." He turned to leave. "Come, I think it's time we took care of our equipment."

"But sir …"

"Don't give me that, Blade." Meta chided. "Don't act like I don't see those scuffs." He didn't even begin to describe the tiny spots of rust mottling the plates. He was going into what his men called "mother hen" mode, but he didn't care - the state of one's armor reflected the person within. "You have been slacking in the care of your armor. What have I told you?"

"Take care of your armor, and it will take care of you." Blade replied, reciting the words like a prayer.

"Exactly. Let's go." 

Meta and his knights took the courtyard elevator up, and were surprised to find the king and his mother staring at them as they emerged from under the fountain.  _ That's _ r _ ight, it's only sundown!  _ Meta scolded himself.  _ How could I make such a mistake? _ "Good evening, your majesty," he said, trying to hide his anxiety.

"Oh, good evening." Escargoon was wearing one of his long linen dresses this evening, and he was sitting in the grass, trying to feed his mother's chickens from his massive palm. He winked and turned to his mother. "Momma, Meta Knight's been trying to find secret passages around here."

"Oh! I see. That silly Dedede put them in didn't he?" The queen mother eyed the stairs, curious. "Where does this one go?"

Sword played along with the white lie. "Just another path to the basement, Ma'am."

"Really? He didn't even spend time in the basement!" Escargoon shook his head, his hair swirling around his head like seagrass in a current. "Whatever. I don't pretend that I knew all the thoughts bouncing around in that hollow head of his." 

"Right." Meta watched as Escargoon poured the rest of the chicken feed into the grass, and then rose to his feet. His head eclipsed the sun, creating a halo of rays, and Meta Knight felt his heart flutter.  _ No. Stop that, _ he thought to himself.  _ That's your king. It'd be inappropriate. _

Still, Escargoon smiled down at him, and it made Meta melt just a little. "Thank you," he said, then glanced down at his mother again. "Let's get inside before the bugs get bad, alright?"

"Alright, Junior." The queen mother grabbed a fistful of her son's dress and walked with him, back into the castle, and Meta felt his eyes linger on his majesty for just a bit too long. He looked back at his men as he attempted to crush the feelings inside him. "Let's go."

Meta beat as hasty as a retreat back to his quarters as possible. He had someone to talk to, but once he was back in his apartment, he focused on what his men needed - he handed Blade, in particular, a full set of scrub pads. "I expect your armor to have a satin finish by the time you're done, Blade."

Blade took off his helmet and shook out his cherry-red hair - and Meta noticed him roll his eyes. "Alright, sir." 

Meta nodded, made a note to check Blade's armor afterwards, then ducked into his room and kept the lights low. He drew Galaxia, and went to find his own supplies to take care of it. Even if the magical blade mostly repaired itself, he liked to give it a polish every now and then.

And of course, Galaxia liked it too.

He sat, cross-legged on the bed, and removed his mask. He then took a deep breath, applied oil to a soft cloth, and drew it across the blade, and there it was - the low, contented hum in the back of his head. "Good evening, Galaxia."

_ Good evening.  _ Galaxia's voice was neither masculine or feminine, old or young, harsh or melodic - today at least. When he'd first obtained it, it had spoken to him in Garlude's voice - and he'd nearly thrown it into a gorge for its troubles. That was probably why Galaxia seemed to prefer talking to him while he was in a calm, meditative state, such as when he worked out or polished the blade.  _ You have a lot on your mind, it seems. _

"Do I?" Meta peered at the surface of the blade for a moment. "I think I noticed."

_ You are anxious over the current actions against Nightmare. I would not worry. I feel that the stars will light your allies way, and you will get your turn to act soon.  
_

Meta sighed in frustration, his breath slightly fogging the blade. "And his majesty gets after  _ me _ for being frustratingly vague."

_ You seem to like him. _

Meta narrowed his eyes. Galaxia had absolutely no tact - not that he was expecting it to have any. It was a sword, after all. "This conversation isn't about him."

_ What else do you want me to say? I cannot see what is happening at Nightmare's fortress, so I can not assure you on their success. _

"Ugh." Meta wiped his brow, realizing that he was anointing himself with sword oil. "That doesn't make me feel better."

_ I am sorry. _

Meta continued to polish the blade. "I suppose the conversation _is_ about his majesty, then. That is, if you're willing to speak more."

_ Perhaps. You seem to like it when he smiles. _

"Before he was king, Escargoon had little reason to smile. Now he does." Meta dabbed a little more oil onto the cloth. "Should I not be happy for him?"

_ You are dodging the question. You were like this with Jecra, too.  _

Meta nearly dropped Galaxia in shock. "Wh-" He couldn't remember  _ not _ loving Jecra, come to think of it - perhaps all his memories were warped by his feelings. "Was I?"

_ You denied your infatuation with him, because you were afraid that you would forget Garlude. _

"But I didn't. But my feelings for his majesty complicate things in the here and now." Meta put the oiled cloth aside. 

_ I do not see how. _

"I… he is my king!" Meta snapped. "I am trying to keep our relationship professional!" 

Galaxia hummed for a moment. _ I do not see why. You love him, correct? _

Meta's breath caught in his throat. He placed the sword on his pillow and lay back, a finger on the hilt. For some reason, his thoughts flicked back to a rainy night, when Escargoon had been sobbing into his shoulder over something Dedede had done.

_ "I love him,"  _ Escargoon had whispered, his voice wobbling _. "I love him so much it hurts."  _ Meta could sympathize - he'd had two lovers ripped from him. Love could indeed be painful.

_ Escargoon _ . There was a lot Meta liked about him now - his soft curls and eyelashes, his confidence now that Dedede was out of the picture. His sharp wit, his brilliant mind, his smile and laughter… and occasionally, the king would flirt during their training sessions, just as Garlude and Jecra had done during their sparring sessions.  He wasn't sure, though, if Escargoon's flirting was genuine, or meant to catch him off guard. Maybe, just maybe, it was both - the king didn't seem to mind the idea of them together at all.

Really, what was preventing them from being together? To hell with propriety, he -  _ he wouldn't be thinking this way if he didn't have feelings like this. _

Meta cleared his throat. "Yes," he admitted to both Galaxia and himself. "I think I may be in love with Escargoon."


	5. Clown Containment Breach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marx and his friends are in this one. It's about his life in the Nightmare Enterprises Research and Development complex.

Marx sighed to himself as he eyed the outfit the scientists put out for him. Shoes with squeakers in the soles, and a jester's hat and shirt covered in bells. Oooh, they were onto him. Still, he put on the silly little clothes - they wouldn't keep him out of trouble. Also, he liked how the sleeves covered his hands.

One would think that someone with malformed hands couldn't cause so many problems. Marx and his grand total of four fingers - two on each hand - proved them wrong. He'd taught himself how to pick his cell's lock with all sorts of things, to the point where the scientists just gave up on keeping the door locked. They bribed him with toys and picture books to keep him in his cell, but those got boring after a while.

The whitecoats called this place the NME Research and Development complex. Marx had heard them talk about someone named Nightmare, and he was pretty sure Nightmare had asked for him to be made in the first place. Marx wasn't sure why - the scientists didn't do much with him except draw blood sometimes. He had found a bunch of papers that were talking about himself once, but there were so many words he didn't know, and the only pictures were of him as he grew up, and two people who Marx figured were his parents - one who looked very sleepy, and another with kitty ears who was gnawing on a bone.

Marx liked the books the scientists gave him better. They called it "enrichment." Marx didn't know what that meant, but the pictures showed him places and things he'd never seen before! Also, the books had words he actually knew.

He ran up to his cell's door and watched the scientists doing their experiments. Oh, Mister Haltmann was here today! Mister Haltmann always looked really tired, and Marx could hear Miss Susie screaming. Apparently Miss Susie was really important to Mister Haltmann, but Marx knew a secret - Miss Susie wasn't a real girl! Sometimes Marx went by her holding cell, and saw her blankly staring at the wall with a charging cord in her back. One time he even went in and tried to play with her, but she flopped over and did nothing.

Marx tucked a book under his arm and opened his door. Miss Susie's screams covered up the jingling of his bells, and he decided to go to the training area. He'd made a new friend there! Marx slipped past the scientists, listening as they talked about something called Heavy Lobster. He skipped down the halls, following the signs, and skidded to a stop before the training area's door. It didn't look like the mean trainer was here right now, so Marx could see his friend! He giggled and threw open the door. "Hi, Phan Phan!" he yelled. "I brought a book today!"

Phan Phan squealed at him from his cage. Marx ran up to the bars and plopped down, and opened his book to his favorite picture - something that was a pretty blue with all sorts of creatures in it. "Look! This is called the sea!"

Phan Phan cooed as he looked at the book and poked at the picture with his trunk. "Have you seen the sea before, Phan Phan?" Marx asked. The elephant-like demon beast patted him on the head, and slowly shook his own. "Oh, that's too bad…" Marx mumbled. "But hey! I'll read the story to you, okay?"

Phan Phan purred and flopped down as close to Marx as he could. Marx grinned and flipped back to the beginning. "Alright… once upon a time…"

Marx read slowly, following the words along with his finger. Once he finished, though, he felt a little weird. He ran his hand over Phan Phan's rough skin. "Phan Phan," he whispered, "Do you think Miss Garlude ever saw the sea?"

Phan Phan slowly blinked at Marx, and snorted, ruffling his hair. The elephant nodded at him, and Marx eyed the lock on the cage. Oh, it'd be so easy to pick this one! He ripped one of the bells off his outfit and stomped on it, retrieving the little rod thing inside to make a makeshift lockpick. "Phan Phan…" he asked as he got to work. "Do you wanna do me a favor?"

Phan Phan trumpeted as the cage door swung open. "Okay, cool! All I need you to do is run around and make a lot of noise!" The elephant beast squealed in delight and charged out of the door, ripping it off the hinges. Marx was close on Phan Phan's heels, and scrambled in the opposite direction, down towards the testing area. The scientists were too busy with Phan Phan to stop him from seeing Miss Garlude. Like he guessed, the security people were busy trying to corral the rampaging beast. He ran past the heavy doors. "Garlude! Miss Garlude?"

"Marx?" He heard the sound of skin and fur sliding on the floor, and there was Miss Garlude, clutching at the bars of her cell. "It's been a little while, hasn't it?" 

"Yeah, sorry. The whitecoats have been kinda nosy." Marx adored Miss Garlude. She had been a warrior once, but the mean scientists kept her here for testing their products on. Part of her leg was gone because of that. Marx wished he could find a way to pick the lock on her cell, but it was super complicated and some of the pins set off alarms if he jiggled them wrong.

"Look, I got a new book!" He flipped it open to the sea picture. "This is the sea, Miss Garlude! Have you ever seen the sea before?"

"The sea?" Garlude took the book and ran her fingers over the picture. "I… I've seen it."

"Really?" Marx gasped and grabbed the bars and got as close as he could. "What's it like?"

"It… god, how can I even begin to describe it?" Garlude leaned against the bars. "It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It's like it stretches on forever." 

"Wow…" Marx sighed and nuzzled against Garlude. "I wanna see it someday."

"I hope you get to." Marx felt Garlude shaking, and he looked up to see her silently crying.

"Hey, no! Don't cry, Miss Garlude! We can go see it together!" Marx wiped away her tears. "I can figure out how to pick your lock, a-and we can go with Phan Phan and maybe Mister Haltmann -"

"Marx, slow down!" Garlude grasped at his hands. "How am I supposed to leave? I can't walk!" 

"Then I'll carry you!" Marx yelled. "I can be pretty strong when I want to!" 

"Marx… I'm sure you can, but - " Garlude gasped as she stared behind him. "You need to go."

"What? Why?" Marx looked behind him to see a security guard running at him. "Oh no! Um…" He scrambled to his feet and waved at Garlude and ran. "Bye bye, Miss Garlude!"

He scampered through the halls, ducking away from the security guard's grasp. He saw all sorts of broken things, and he followed the trail of destruction to a room he'd never seen before. Phan Phan was throwing a weird little man across the room, and there was a strange machine in the middle. 

The little guy adjusted his sunglasses. " _MARX!_ " he roared and jabbed a finger at Phan Phan. "Are you responsible for this?"

"Um…" Marx tilted his head, curious. "What's responsible mean?" 

"Ugh. Never mind." The man struggled to his feet as Phan Phan backed onto the weird machine. "Ooh, I'm gonna feel that in the morning." He stumbled over to a panel full of buttons that looked absolutely pressable. "You're really in for it now! Do you have any idea what I've got to clean up? Someone got away with three destroyas because of your shenanigans." he snapped. "Someone said the _Mage Sisters_ showed up! We thought they were dead!"

"Yeah? Who cares!" Marx scrambled over to the panel and stared at the buttons. "What do these do?"

"Don't you dare touch that!" The man yelled and tried to shove Marx away, only for Marx to chomp on his arm and slam his hand on the biggest button he saw. "No!"

A bright light flashed behind him, and Marx turned to watch Phan Phan disappear. "Huh? _Aah_!"

The strange man shoved Marx aside. "Shit… that was a decent demon beast you sent off to god-knows-where, you know!" His fingers hammered at the buttons. "Believe me, if your blood wasn't so valuable, you'd be done for!"

Marx blinked at the space where Phan Phan had been, then at the man. "He… he didn't go somewhere bad, did he?"

"Oh? _Oh…_ " The man grinned and chuckled. "He's gone to Pop Star. I can work with this." He patted Marx on the head, who flinched away. "You've done me a favor, my boy."

Marx whimpered. "I… can I go back to my room?" 

"Sure." Marx felt hands clamp down on his arms, and he looked up to see two big guys glaring down at him. "Gentlemen, escort Marx back to his room - and make sure he gets a good lock on his door this time!"

Marx blew a raspberry at the man as he was dragged away. _A lock that can keep me in? Yeah right!_


	6. Somewhere Beyond the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kit Cosmos is in this one. He learns some interesting things about Meta Knight.
> 
> (also he's supposed to be like, a bigfoot)

Kit watched the sunset as he sipped at his coconut milk. He loved this part of living on an island - free food! Well, it was only free if you were willing to work for it, which Kit didn't mind one bit. It was nice to stay active at his age, even if he wasn't quite sure how old he was anymore.

A speck on the horizon caught his attention, and Kit squinted to try and get a better look. No luck - maybe it was some sort of whale. He shrugged, bit into his banana and turned back to his campfire. He'd managed to land a fish much larger than he could eat in a night that morning, and he'd spent all day butchering it and preserving the meat and skin. It was time to treat himself. He took the fish's head off its stick and popped an eyeball into his mouth, savoring how it popped between his teeth. He hummed to himself, then looked back at the speck.

It had grown larger. He squinted again, and realized it was a boat! That set off alarm bells in his brain. He kicked sand over his fire and gathered up all his food, then darted back to his cave hovel. There, he tucked himself into his home and grabbed a makeshift spear. If Nightmare was coming for him, he'd go down fighting!

"Sergeant Cosmos? Are you here?"

 _No way… was that really him?_ "Sir Meta Knight?" Kit yelled as he charged out of his cave. "Sir Meta Knight!" He crashed through the brush, not even caring about the leaves and burrs getting caught in his fur. His ears weren't playing tricks on him - Meta Knight was there, in the flesh! Kit skidded to a halt in the sand and saluted his superior. "Sergeant Cosmos at your command, sir!"

Meta Knight chuckled. "It has been a while, hasn't it?" The knight turned his gaze to the sky. "We've got a few more people I am waiting for."

"Oh?" Almost on cue, a bright flash filled the sky, and a small spaceship was suddenly hovering over the beach. It landed in the shallows, and the hull slid open and three figures jumped out. 

Kit recognized the first figure. Sir Percival was a 6-foot something boulder of a person, and their iconic red mohawk caught his eyes. A grin crossed their face, and they charged through the water and scooped up Meta into a bear hug. "Meta Knight! Oh, it's been ages!"

Meta Knight groaned. "It's good to see you too, Percival - _ah!"_ His spine produced a loud pop. " _Oh…_ "

"Oops! I'm sorry Meta!" Percival awkwardly set him down. "It's just been forever and I-"

"It's fine. This is the best my back has felt in ages." Meta chuckled.

"Was that a joke?" One of the two strangers asked as he walked closer. Kit squinted - this kid looked awfully familiar. "Didn't know ya had it in ya!"

Kit placed where he'd seen that face. "Excuse me, young man… but are you Jecra's son?"

The kid smirked and poked under his nose. "Sure am! The name's Knuckle Joe!"

"And her…" Kit looked to the girl wading out of the shallows. "She's Garlude's daughter, isn't she?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, I'll be." Kit stroked his beard. "You two are all grown up, huh? I remember back when your poppy was showin' us your baby pictures, Joe." He chuckled and threw an arm around Joe's shoulder. "You're the splitting image of him, you know."

Joe chuckled awkwardly and prodded the skin under his nose. "Uh, yeah…" he glanced over at Meta Knight. "... Sergeant Cosmos? Meta Knight and Percival are here to make some plans with ya."

"Oh really?"

"Y-yeah, let's go." Joe led him to where Sir Percival had laid out a bunch of diagrams on the sand. Kit was almost overwhelmed - there was discussion of a battleship, and ships stolen from NME - and it was hard for him to follow. Still, he couldn't help but feel giddy - he'd be back in action soon!

Soon, it was decided. The kids and Percival's group were going to provide backup during the siege of the fortress, while Kit would be on the Halberd with Meta Knight - and for that reason, he was going to be hiding out in Dream Land's woods. Afterwards, Kit treated his guests to the best feast he could prepare in such a short notice - fresh fish wrapped in banana leaves and steamed with sweet berries, with a side of mashed nuts and served with an old bottle of whiskey Kit had stashed away for a special occasion. He even let the kids have a little sip!

However, Meta Knight eventually snuck off on his own, and Sir Percival followed. Kit didn't mind too much - he was happy to just relax for a moment while the kids talked. Eventually, though, he noticed that Joe had shifted to a rather odd topic.

"Y'think I should ask him?" Joe asked in hushed tones. "If he's my dad?"

Kit blinked in surprise. "You mean Meta Knight, kiddo?"

"Yeah, um." Joe prodded the area under his nose. "I found some pictures of him and my dad back home." 

"... I see." Kit stroked his mustache, picking his next words carefully. "... Well, he was very close with your father, that's for certain."

"Oh for the love of -" Sirica slammed her fists onto the log she was sitting on. "Just say they were dating! It's fine! He can handle it!" she yelled as Joe nodded along.

"Alright, fine, they shared a tent if that's what you want to hear!" Kit snapped. "Of course, it only happened after you were born, Joe." 

"... Oh. Oh my god, he got with my dad when he was pregnant." Joe buried his face in his hands. "I… guess it's not the worst thing he could do..."

"Yeah." Kit took a long swig of his whiskey. "I'll go get him for you if you want."

"That'd be nice. Thank you, Sargent Cosmos."

Kit rose to his feet, feeling his knees pop, then began to trace Meta Knight and Percival's path. Over his years of living in the jungle, Kit had gotten good at following tracks - and these two were no different. A bootprint there, a broken branch here. Soon, Kit heard voices emanating from the woods - by the sounds of it, near that little pool of water where he'd catch crawdads sometimes. He decided to not interrupt their conversation for the moment.

"...Percival, I…" Meta Knight sounded hesitant. "I should tell them."

"Tell them what?"

"That I am a demon beast." Wait, _what_ ? _Impossible!_ Demon beasts were cruel monsters, not noble warriors! 

"It's up to you, Meta." Percival's tone was soothing, almost, like a parent consoling a child.

"I…" Kit heard a deep, wistful sigh. "I'm not sure how Cosmos will react, or Joe, or Sirica… " Kit peeked through the branches and saw Meta Knight's mask on a nearby rock, saw Meta Knight himself leaning against Percival. "I told a young friend of Kirby, and the king… The Kabu on this star urged her to ask, so I answered."

Kit ruminated for a moment on this. Did it truly matter what Meta Knight was? He'd saved lives, rather than take them, and denied his nightmarish origins it seemed. Also, a Kabu seemed okay with it-

The words "You're probably a good buffer for them finding out the king is a beast, though," forcibly removed Kit from his train of thought. "WHAT?" Kit blurted out, then clamped his hand over his mouth. _Oops_.

"Sergeant Cosmos?" That was Meta Knight, who was now approaching with his mask on - though it was slightly lopsided. "... How much did you hear?"

"Um… only the last bit. About you and the king." Kit knew better than to lie to a superior - demon beast or not! "But is it true? The king of Dream Land is a demon beast?"

"Yes. He's been in power for a few months now, but the citizens seem to like him."

Kit burst out laughing. "Well! I suppose you showed him how to behave, huh?" 

Meta Knight didn't respond.

"W-well, I mean…" Kit stammered. "Honestly, learning you're a demon beast… that was one hell of a whammy." He held out a hand. "But you know what? Anyone who's an enemy of Nightmare is a friend of mine!"

Meta Knight took his hand and shook it. "Thank you. Now…" he glanced back at Percival. "We should go inform the other two."

"Yes sir!" Kit grinned and led the two star warriors back to the beach.


End file.
